Brennan: Support Jason Collins and pay church's price

May 1, 2013
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Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler, here greeting fans at a game in July 2000 at Lambeau Field, has gotten an unwelcome greeting from a church that had invited him to speak. / Mike Roemer, AP

by Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sports

by Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sports

Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler sent out a simple tweet Monday afternoon: "Congrats to Jason Collins." It wasn't even a full tweet. It was more of a quick, kind, electronic nod to a man in another sport who had made a big personal decision that became public that day.

One would think that someone saying something nice about a fellow human being would be seen in a positive light by almost anyone in this challenging, sometimes hate-strewn world of ours. In particular, you would guess that those who run our churches and other houses of worship would especially appreciate the kindness of one man toward another.

Then, early Wednesday morning, Butler sent another tweet.

"Wow, I was schedule(d) to speak at a church in WI, and a member said that the pastor wants to cancel my event, I said ok why?"

And another.

"Then I was told, because I said congrats to Jason Collins on twitter. I said really? we have a contract. he said check the moral (clause)"

A few minutes later, Butler, who has been retired from the NFL for 11 seasons, posted again on his Twitter account:

"FYI the fee was 8500$, then I was told if i removed the tweet, and apologize and ask god forgiveness, I can have the event, I said no."

The story of Jason Collins' announcement that he is gay has given us one clearly identifiable, courageous and historic figure. That's Collins. It also has revealed at least one unintentional hero, a man whose simple act of kindness apparently sickened those who would be the first to tell us they are preaching the word of God. That's Butler.

This Wisconsin church remains unnamed because Butler has politely chosen not to reveal it. But we do know a little bit about it. It obviously requires anyone who plans to speak there to sign a statement â?? a "morals clause" â?? pledging, for instance, that he or she won't say anything nice about gay people. Now that is one unusual church. Say this for that congregation: It must make life so much easier when you don't have to concern yourself with all that "Do unto others" stuff.

In later tweets, Butler said, "I have received an apology from the church, but mainly thanking me for not releasing the church name, (to) me that's not important." He also said he found out that "some parents went to the church and complained about my tweet for support of Jason Collins."

He finished with two words: "So sad."

He could have added two more: "So illuminating."

We have learned a lot about a few so-called religious people in the past few days. Many of us were raised in a church. I was. So was Butler, and he had the good sense to quote his mother to sum it all up:

"Also my mom says the message is bigger anyway, by the way I was raised in the church, and attend 3 to 4 times a month."

We can guess what the parents of that church were trying to shield their children from: even the hint of a discussion of gay people in American life. These, of course, are children who go to school and go to church, have or will have gay classmates and friends, and someday will be adults living in a country that is almost certain to view gays as equal under the law.

The church's decision to disinvite Butler, though, ultimately prevents the kids from hearing from a four-time Pro Bowler who invented the Lambeau Leap, a man who is known for his work with churches in the state, and who, since his retirement, has thrown himself into his philanthropic work.